Arrangement for obtaining authentication key parameters in a cellular mobile telecommunications switching network

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and methods for providing cellular mobile telecommunication service in accordance with the requirements of the Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM) standard. A modular switching system is provided which performs the functions of the mobile switching center plus those of a home location register, authentication center, visitor location register, and equipment identity register. The latter functions are advantageously spread among the modules of the switching system, thus avoiding the getting started cost of expensive dedicated data bases. A wireless global switching module advantageously switches mobile communications control messages among the modules of the system and between the modules and the base station systems, and terminates signaling links between the mobile switching center and the base station systems.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to the applications of:

Chinmei Chen Lee, James Joseph Phelan, Luat Tan Phung, and Alex LawrenceWierzbicki, Ser. No. 07/799,589, entitled "Handover Of Mobile RadioCalls Between Base Station Systems" now abandoned;

Robert Byerly Beeson, Jr., Patrick Ernest Helmers, and Michael VincentStein, Ser. No. 07/799,573 entitled "Signaling Arrangements In ACellular Mobile Telecommunications Switching System" now abandoned;

Robert Byerly Beeson, Jr., Patrick Ernest Helmers, and Michael VincentStein, Ser. No. 07/799,577 entitled "Maintaining Stable Virtual CircuitData Connections" now U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,179;

Robert Byerly Beeson, Jr., Louis Lawrence Kittock, and Michael VincentStein, Ser. No. 07/799,581 entitled "Paging Arrangements In A CellularMobile Switching System" now U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,890;

Wayne Clifford La Forge, Chinmei Chen Lee, and James Joseph Phelan Ser.No. 07/799,246 entitled "Implementation Of A Home Location Register ForA Cellular Mobile Telecommunications Switching Network" now abandoned;

Wayne Clifford La Forge, Chinmei Chen Lee, and James Joseph Phelan, Ser.No. 07/799,508 entitled "Arrangement For Implementing A Visitor LocationRegister In A Cellular Mobile Telecommunications Switching System" nowabandoned; and

Jack Kozik, Chinmei Chen Lee, and Dennis J. Wiest, Ser. No. 07/799,584,"Arrangement For Detecting Fraudulently Identified Mobile Stations In ACellular Mobile Telecommunications Network" now abandoned; whichapplications are assigned to the assignee of the present application,and which were filed concurrently therewith on Nov. 27, 1991.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to authentication arrangements for mobiletelecommunications networks.

PROBLEM

Mobile radio systems for permitting customers calling from mobilestations such as vehicular stations mounted in automobiles, portablestations of medium weight which may be transported readily, or smalllightweight, hand held personal communication stations are becomingincreasingly prevalent. Such systems use the principles of cellulartechnology to allow the same frequencies of a common allocated radiobandwidth to be reused in separated local areas or cells of a broaderregion. Each cell is served by a base transceiver station comprising agroup of local transceivers connected to a common antenna. The basestation systems, each comprising a controller and one or moretransceiver stations are interconnected via a switching system, a mobileswitching center, which is also connected to the public switchedtelephone network. Such cellular systems are now entering a secondgeneration characterized by digital radio communications and a differentset of standards such as the European Global Systems for MobileCommunications (GSM) standard, promulgated by the Special Mobile Group(SMG).

The standards specified by the GSM require authentication either onevery service request or on randomly selected ones of the requests. Theauthentication procedure as specified by GSM involves obtaining datafrom a home location register which, in turn, requires the obtaining ofdata from an authentication center. Since a query of the home locationregister is likely to require an access using a data network, theauthentication process requires substantial use of the resources of amobile telecommunications network. In brief, when the authentication ofa mobile station is required, the home location register (HLR) isqueried in order to obtain a authentication key. The home locationregister, in turn, requests an authentication center to obtain a randomnumber and converts the random number and the basic key into anauthentication number and a cipher key. The random number,authentication number and cipher key are transmitted to a VisitorLocation Register (VLR) for serving that mobile station. The randomnumber is then transmitted to the mobile station which is equipped withthe identical basic key and uses the random number to generate anauthentication number and a cipher key for use with a call. Theauthentication number, but not the cipher key, is then transmitted backto the mobile switching center serving the mobile station. If theauthentication number generated by the mobile station matches theauthentication number by the combination of the home location registerand the authentication center, then authentication has been satisfied.

A problem of the prior art is that the authentication procedure uses alarge amount of the resources of a mobile telecommunications network,and that it introduces substantial delay in establishing calls from orto mobile stations.

SOLUTION

The above problem is alleviated and an advance is made over the priorart in accordance with the teachings of this invention wherein, aplurality of authentication parameters are stored in the visitorlocation register so that the process of querying the HLR is usually oralways avoided. In one specific implementation, as soon as the VLR isdown to one set of authentication parameters, it requests anotherplurality, so that the VLR never has to wait for authenticationparameters when it receives a service request or other demand for suchparameters. Advantageously, this arrangement substantially decreases theamount of time required for authentication.

In accordance with one specific implementation of applicant's invention,the authentication center comprises a protocol handler. This protocolhandler receives a key from the HLR, generates a random number, andusing the random number and the key, generates an encryption key and anauthentication number. It does this four times in order to supply fouradditional sets of authentication parameters to the VLR.

In accordance with one specific implementation of applicant's invention,the mobile switching center is a modular switching system and the HLR isstored in modules of the mobile switching center that is the homeswitching center for a group of mobile stations. Each module has anassociated authentication center protocol handler for generating theauthentication parameters. Advantageously, this arrangement avoids thenecessity of making a data network query to obtain authentication dataif the mobile station is in its home area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the basic GSM model of a mobile switchingcenter and its direct and indirect interfaces;

FIG. 2 illustrates how this model is implemented in one exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates the various signaling protocols used for signalingmessages in mobile telecommunications systems;

FIG. 4 illustrates the interconnections among mobile stations, landbasedstations, base station systems, the public switched telephone network,and a mobile switching center;

FIG. 5 illustrates the physical paths used for signaling and for voiceor data interconnections;

FIGS. 6-8 illustrates the signaling interconnections including the roleof the wireless global switch module (WGSM);

FIGS. 9-13 illustrate the process of establishing a mobile to land call;

FIG. 14 illustrates the release of a mobile call;

FIGS. 15-18 illustrate the handover process;

FIGS. 19-21 illustrate the handover process in terms of messageexchanges;

FIGS. 22-28 illustrate an incoming call to a mobile station.

FIG. 29 illustrates the process of obtaining authentication numbers andencryption number.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the reference model for the Europeanstandard, the Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM). Each ofthe lines interconnecting blocks of the diagram that is identified witha letter, has a GSM standard specified interface. Briefly, the purposeof each of the blocks is the following:

The Home Location Register (HLR) 102 contains data for a mobilecustomer. The data stored in the HLR is the permanent data that isindependent of the customer's present location, plus temporary data suchas the addresses of Service Centers which have stored short messages fora mobile station. (An example of such a message is a request to turn ona "voice message waiting" lamp indicating that a voice message has beenstored for the mobile station user in a voice messaging system.) Theseaddresses are erased after the short messages have been delivered. TheHLR also indicates the Signaling System 7 point code used to find amodule that contains the Visitor Location Register (VLR) 104 currentlyassociated with the mobile station.

The VLR contains current data for each mobile customer, including thatcustomer's mobile station's present or most recently known locationarea, the station's on/off status, and security parameters. A remote VLR106 connected via a G interface is also shown.

The authentication center (AUC) 108 provides authentication andencryption parameters to ensure that a mobile customer cannot falselyassume the identity of another mobile customer and provides data forencryption of the voice or data, and control signals transmitted via theair between the mobile station and a serving BSS. The GSM referece modelprescribes digital communication over the radio channels. Since it ispossible to listen to these radio channels, encryption becomes desirablefor the link between the mobile station and the radio transceiver at abase station serving that mobile station.

The Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 110 is for switching calls involvingat least one mobile station.

The BSS 112 comprises a base station controller (BSC) 114 and one ormore base transceiver stations (BTS) 116 for communicating with mobilestations (MS) 120. The BSS and the MS communicate via radio connections.The BSS is also connected via trunks to carry the voice or data, andcontrol messages between the mobile stations and the MSC. The BSC andBTS may be in different physical locations (for example, the BSC may beco-located with the MSC) in which case a trunk is required tointerconnect the two. S_(m) represents the human interface to the MS.

The equipment identity register (EIR) 124 retains a record of ranges ofcertified equipment identifications and ranges of or individualequipment identifications which are under observation or barred fromservice. The equipment identification information is received from amobile station at the mobile switching center. The EIR is used to verifythat the equipment number of the MS is certified for use in the publicnetwork and is not on the observation or service barred list.

Mobile switching centers are connected to other mobile switchingcenters, directly or via the public switched telephone network 128, tothe public switched telephone network for accessing land-based customerstations and to integrated services digital network (ISDN) networks 126for communicating according to the protocols of ISDN.

While the standards specify the functions of each of these blocks, theydo not specify how each of these blocks is to be implemented. It is thepurpose of this description to illustrate one arrangement forimplementing these standards in an advantageous manner.

FIG. 2 illustrates the system architecture for implementing a GSM mobilecommunication system. The mobile station (MS) 202 communicates with theBSS 204 over radio links 206 using optionally encrypted digital radiocommunications for the voice or data, and control connections betweenthe MS and the BSS. The MS communicates via the BSS with the mobileswitching center (MSC) 210. The BSS and MS exchange control messageswith the mobile switch center using the CCITT signaling system 7protocol (SS7).

In this arrangement, the HLR 212, VLR 214, AUC 216 and EIR 218 recordsare all integrated into the MSC 210. When an MSC needs the HLR, VLR, AUCor EIR records from another network entity, it obtains them via SS7messages transmitted to the entity that currently holds thisinformation.

The MSC communicates with a billing center 220 for accumulating billingrecords using the CCITT X.25 protocol and also communicates with anOperations and Maintenance Center (OMC) 222 using the CCITT X.25protocols. The OMC communicates with BSSs via the MSC using SS7. In oneimplementation, the OMC communicates with a customer administrationsystem 224 using a standard RS-232 link. In addition, maintenancemessages between the BSS and OMC are transmitted using SS7 with the BaseStation System Operation Maintenance and Administration Part (BSSOMAP)protocol.

Signaling System 7 is described in detail in A. R. Modarressi et al.:"Signaling System No. 7: A Tutorial," IEEE Communications Magazine, July1990, pages 19-35. The GSM standard protocols are specified in the GSMstandard specifications, which at this time is in version 3.8.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of the protocols used in different types ofcommunications, according to the GSM standard. Most of these protocolsare those of SS7. Of the seven layers of the protocol according to theInternational Standards Organization (ISO) layered message protocol,only the top (application layer) and the bottom three layers (Network,Data and Physical) are shown on the left. Four types of messages areshown: The first double column includes those from switching system toswitching system for land-based trunks including either a telephone userpart (TUP) or an ISDN user part (ISUP) (both SS7 standards) for theapplication layer. The second column is for messages among MSCs, VLR,HLR and EIR which messages use the SS7 standard Transaction Capabilities(TC), Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) and MobileApplication Part (MAP) sublayers of the application layer (MAP isenhanced with GSM standards). When these messages are strictly internalto the MSC, these protocols are simplified and messages transmitteddirectly or via protocol handlers between the responsible processors.The third column is for communications between the mobile switchingcenter and a BSS. The final column is for communications between themobile switching center and mobile station.

The three bottom sublayers of the protocol (layer 1, the physical layer,layer 2, the data layer, and sublayer 3, the message transport part(MTP) sublayer, a sublayer of the network layer) are identical for allof these types of communications and are in accordance with the SS7Message Transport Part (MTP) standards of the CCITT Q.701-Q.707standard. The Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP), a sublayer ofthe network layer, also a CCITT standard Q.711-Q.714, is connectionoriented for the MSC/MS communications, is connectionless for the secondcolumn, and may be either for the MSC/BSS communications. SCCP isavailable for some ISUP applications. For the first column (switch toswitch) the TUP and ISUP application layer communicates directly withMTP 3 sublayer of the network layer.

Communications between the MSC and either the BSS or the mobile stationuse a Radio Subsystem (Base Station System) Application Part (BSSAP)protocol. For communications between the mobile switching center and theBSS, layer 7 uses the protocols of the BSSAP including a Base StationSystem Management Application Part (BSSMAP). The communications betweenthe mobile switching center (MSC) and the mobile station are performedin the protocols of BSSAP including a Direct Transfer Application Part(DTAP). BSSAP, including BSSMAP and DTAP are GSM standards.

FIG. 4 is a basic block diagram of a mobile switching center 400(switch), as implemented using AT&T's 5ESS® Switch. The switch,described in detail in The AT&T Technical Journal, vol. 64, no. 6, part2, July/August 1985, pages 1305-1564, (Journal) includes anadministrative module 402, a communication module 404, and a group ofswitching modules 406-412. The switching modules applicable in the GSMnetwork are of four types; a wireless switching module (WSM) 406 forcommunicating with BSSs, and also optionally communicating with thepublic switched telephone network (PSTN); switching modules (SM) 408 forcommunicating with the PSTN; a wireless global switch module (WGSM) 410for serving the signaling communication needs for controlling callsinvolving mobile stations; and a PSTN Global Switch Module (PSTN GSM)412 used if PSTN trunks are of ISUP or TUP types, i.e., use SS7 forsignaling to the PSTN. The PSTN GSM processes ISUP or TUP protocols andcan optionally also be connected to PSTN trunks.

The functions of the administrative module (AM), communications module(CM) and switching module (SM), in relation to the PSTN are essentiallyas described in the referenced Journal. The purpose of the WGSM, asdescribed hereinafter, is to simplify the signaling communicationsbetween BSSs and the WSM serving calls for the BSS, and between the MSand the WSM. The PSTN GSM is for controlling common channel signalingbetween the MSC and the PSTN. The PSTN GSM is connected by messagedelivery paths to protocol handlers in the SMs.

The signaling architecture of the mobile switching center issignificantly simplified by having signaling messages go through acommon set of data switches and protocol handlers in a wireless globalswitching module (WGSM). Physically, the wireless global switchingmodule is connected via nailed up channels (message delivery paths)switched through the time multiplexed switch of the communicationsmodule to each of the wireless switching modules. These are 64 kilobitchannels, the same as the PCM voice channels of the 5ESS switchcommunications module. Over another nailed up physical channelconnecting the WGSM with a WSM messages are sent for a BSS via virtualchannels in that physical channel; other virtual channels of thatphysical channel carry messages that originate from or are destined forthe mobile stations.

The wireless switching modules (WSM) are combined packet and circuitswitching modules each comprising a switching module processor (SMP), apacket switching unit (PSU) comprising a plurality of protocol handlersinterconnected by a local area network, and circuit switchingarrangements including a digital facility interface (DFI) and a timeslot interchange unit (TSIU). The TSIU is connected to a timemultiplexed switch of the communications module for interconnecting theswitching modules. Switching modules comprising a packet switching unitare disclosed in M. W. Beckner et al.: U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,048.

The signaling paths between the BSS, WSM, and the wireless globalswitching module (WGSM) are as follows. Each base station is connectedby digital carrier facilities to two or more of the wireless switchmodules 504 (FIG. 5). Many of these digital facilities include one ormore signaling channels, the signaling channels from each BSS beingconnected to at least two WSMs. The signaling channel is connected viathe digital interface of this wireless switch module 504 into the TSIUof the wireless switch module and is thereby connected through thecommunication module 506 and to a protocol handler (PH) in the wirelessglobal switch module. The wireless global switch module protocolhandlers are interconnected via a local area network in the packetswitch unit of the WGSM.

The portion of the signaling path between the WGSM and a destinationwireless switch module is as follows. The WGSM has at least one protocolhandler with a port for transmitting messages to and receiving messagesfrom a specific wireless switch module. This port is connected to amessage delivery path that passes via a nailed up connection through atime multiplexed switch of the communications module. Each such messagedelivery path is a 64 kilobit data link and is connected to a port of aprotocol handler at each end. In case of a failure of a protocol handlerat either end, spare protocol handlers can be used to replace the failedprotocol handlers. The protocol handler in the wireless switch modulecommunicates on its local area network side via a packet interface witha switching module processor of the WSM. This switching module processorperforms call processing and generates or processes, for example, theBSSAP portion of a message between a WSM and a BSS. The message deliverypaths and the physical signaling data links interconnecting a BSS and awireless switch module carry a plurality of virtual data paths, usually,temporary virtual data paths (SCCP connections) associated either with amobile call or a mobile service such as a location update.

These signaling arrangements have a number of advantages. By having atleast two signaling data links between each base station and at leasttwo wireless switch modules, redundancy is gained and operation cancontinue even if either of the signaling channels (including theprotocol handlers at each end of a signaling channel) or a WSM fails.The use of a single wireless global switch module with inherent sparingof protocol handlers concentrates the translation information requiredto select a destination wireless switch module when, for example, VLRdata for a particular customer, as identified by that customer'sInternational Mobile Subscriber Identification (IMSI) is required.Failure of one or more of the protocol Subscriber Identification (IMSI)is required. Failure of one or more of the protocol handlers in the WGSMcan be overcome by replacing a failed protocol handler with a workingspare and by properly initializing that protocol handler to take overthe functions of a failed protocol handler. Local reference numbers,discussed hereinafter are used to identify SCCP connections. Asdescribed hereinafter because key information is stored in the localreference numbers, and because duplicate records are maintained on allstable SCCP connections through protocol handlers of the WGSM, none ofthese connections are lost even though they may have been served by afailed protocol handler.

The WGSM has at least one spare protocol handler per shelf of a PSU. Inthe event of a failure of any protocol handler, a spare takes its place.If no redundant data were available, then in the event of a simplexfailure in a protocol handler the dynamic data regarding SCCPconnections would be lost and consequently all BSSAP calls switchedthrough that protocol handler would be lost. Redundancy of this data isadded to the software architecture to ensure the integrity of thisconnection data.

When a connection is set up between a mobile switching center and a BSS,a local connection identifier is associated with each distinctconnection. In order to keep each instance of the connection coordinatedbetween the MSC and the BSS, this connection information is sharedthrough the use of SCCP local reference numbers. According to the CCITTSS7 protocol, each end will send its local reference number and the farend's local reference number when first confirming the setup of a validconnection. Subsequent dialog requires the sending of the far end'slocal reference number. The value of this local number is notconstricted by standards. When a connection is first initiated in themobile switching center, the local reference number is encoded toinclude a connection identifier and the number of the protocol handleron which the connection resides.

The MTP layer provides for load sharing on a data link, changeover andchangeback, with the possible result that incoming messages for aconnection may arrive on a different physical link than messages beingsent. When this occurs, the SCCP message arriving in a differentprotocol handler is routed to the proper protocol handler by decodingthe local reference number since that quantity contains theidentification of the protocol handler (PH) upon which the connectionresides.

Whenever a SCCP connection goes into an active (stable) state, thisconnection information is shared with the next ascending PH in the PSUcommunity (wherein the first PH is the "next ascending" PH for the lastPH). This "next ascending" PH is known as a "backup PH." When a PHfails, a spare PH is switched into its position and thereby connected tothe sources and destinations of messages for that PH. The "nextascending" PH transmits to the spare PH a list of reference numbers ofstable connections from the failed PH; the "next ascending" PH willcontinue to control these connections as long as they are active. Thespare PH assigns local reference numbers for new connections that havethe same logical PH number as the connections formerly served by thefailed PH. When the spare PH receives a message for an activeconnection, it first checks to see whether the reference number is oneof a connection controlled by the "next ascending" PH. If so, the sparePH transmits that message to the "next ascending" PH which has theinformation for processing that message, and which therefore canmaintain the virtual connection. In this way in the event that a PHfails, messages received on existing SCCP connections for the failed PHare automatically routed to the "next ascending" or backup PH. When a PHfails, the backup PH will automatically restart timers associated withthe SCCP connections from this backup information. In this way, stableconnections will remain stable as will calls dependent on thoseconnections. Every PH, that sets up SCCP connections, has a dedicatedbackup PH. Since a spare PH then assumes the logical role and name ofthe failed PH and accepts new SCCP message connection requests for thatPH, this will gradually reduce the temporary overload on the backup PH.When the failed PH is eventually restored to service, it then takes therole of a spare PH.

While in this embodiment, the "next ascending" PH is used as a backup,any other predetermined backup arrangement, such as the "next ascendingskipping 1" (in a system with an even number of active PHs) could beused instead. The term "predetermined adjacent" is used to describe anypredetermined backup PH selection.

As discussed above, when the spare PH assumes the role of the failed PH,the backup PH will report the present status of all its activeconnections to the spare PH. The spare PH will not reuse resources, suchas connection identifier numbers, for active connections still runningon the backup PH when setting up new SCCP connections. The backup PHwill then continue to service all presently active connections untilthey are released, as well as servicing new SCCP connections for itself.

When a mobile station is first powered up within a specified mobilenetwork, the international mobile subscriber identification (IMSI) isused by the mobile station to identify itself. This IMSI is used toroute a request for VLR data to the WSM that contains that data. Eachprotocol handler of the WGSM contains a table that stores the IMSI-WSMmap, the table being created from data supplied by the WSMs. In order toallow HLR and, where possible, associated VLR records to be stored inany WSM, this look-up table has one entry per IMSI. During the locationupdate or registration process, the SM that stores the VLR data willassociate a Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identification (TMSI) with amobile station. The TMSI, whose value, while at least in part random, isnot otherwise constricted according to the GSM standard, is speciallyencoded with the identity of the WSM (i.e., a switching module havingwireless software) that contains the VLR so that accessing the properWSM for incoming messages when VLR data is required is simplified if theTMSI is available. Randomness of the TMSI is maintained by randomizingthree of its four octets. Except on initial mobile station power up, asdescribed above, the TMSI will normally be used for all BSSAPtransactions. When a mobile station initiates a transaction (such as acall or location update), the SCCP connection data base that storesinformation about the transaction, also stores information to identifythe WSM that contains VLR data as well as the WSM that contains thetrunk connected to the BSS. This is used for the routing of allsubsequent messages for this connection, which contain no TMSI.

As an example of the operation of the signaling system, consider a dataconnection between a BSS and a mobile switching center. Assume that theconnection is initiated in the BSS. An initial message would first betransported by MTP in the BSS from the BSS over a signaling data linklogically interconnecting the BSS and a WGSM. The protocol handler, inthe wireless global switch module, which terminates the signaling datalink passes the message from MTP to a SCCP control program. This SCCPprogram strips off the MTP header and parses the message. Depending onthe contents of the message, a connection is established or released, orthe transfer of data is required. In this example, connectionestablishment is requested and a SCCP connection (i.e., a virtualcircuit) is temporarily set up between the protocol handler in the WGSMend of the signaling data link and the protocol handler in the BSS. TheSCCP control program informs a base station system application part(BSSAP) (also referred to as a radio subsystem application part in FIG.3) of the request for a connection establishment via a primitiveinterface. BSSAP then parses the BSSAP message and obtains the identifyof the destination wireless switch module. In the case, for example, ofa query requiring VLR data, this destination WSM is identified by theinternational mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) field contained in theBSSAP message. The BSSAP control process uses the IMSI to index alook-up table to find the WSM where the VLR data base for this IMSI isto be found. The message is then sent within the WGSM from the protocolhandler terminating the signaling data link to a protocol handler thatterminates a message delivery path to the identified WSM. This protocolhandler then sends the message to a protocol handler on the destinationWSM which in turn forwards the message to the switching module processorof that WSM. A BSSAP control process in the destination WSM then furtherparses the message and passes it on to a call processing program forprocessing a mobile call or service.

Another example of the signaling procedures carried out in thisembodiment of the invention is the procedure for sending a message froma wireless switch module to a BSS via an established connection. In thetransmitting wireless switch module, a BSSAP process assembles a BSSAPlayer of the message that is tagged with the local reference numberidentifying the SCCP connection. This process then forwards the messageto a protocol handler in the source wireless switch module, which thentransmits the message over a nailed up message delivery path goingthrough the communications module to a first protocol handler in thewireless global switch module. This first protocol handler examines thelocal reference number of the message and uses this to determine thesecond protocol handler that terminates the SCCP connection. (This localreference number was previously derived during the process ofestablishing the SCCP connection.) This protocol handler then uses aSCCP process to encapsulate the message with a SCCP header and passesthe message to a message transport part (MTP) process for adding the MTPheaders. The message is then sent over the (logical) data link to theBSS. (The physical data link corresponding to this logical data link hasbeen described earlier.)

Advantageously, this type of arrangement permits essentially all of theSS7 protocol handling functions to be carried out in the packetswitching unit of the WGSM (without involving the switching moduleprocessor of the WGSM) and allows the transmitting and receiving WSMs toprocess their messages independent of the destination. Effectively, theset of protocol handlers of the packet switch unit of the WGSM acts asthe handler of all signaling protocols. (A maximally equipped WGSMcontains 75 active and 5 spare protocol handlers.) The WGSM assemblesand disassembles the Signaling System 7 headers to the application dataof the messages and switches the messages for transmission to the properWSM which may either accept the messages (if the destination is themobile switching center) or originates messages to the appropriate BSS(if the destination is either a BSS or a mobile station).

In addition, the MSC communicates from the administrative module with anexternal service center 224, using the X.25 protocol for delivery ofshort messages, such as an indication of a voice message waiting. TheMSC communicates with the public switched telephone network using aland-based signaling system such as SS7.

The switching modules also communicate messages via the message switchof the communication module as is done in a land-based 5ESS switch. Callprocessing messages, such as the messages that are exchanged in order toset up a connection through the communications module between, forexample, a switching module connected to the public switched telephonenetwork portion of a land-to-mobile or mobile-to-land call and thewireless switching module that is connected via the BSS to the mobilestation end of the call, are sent in this way.

Whenever an MS is in the region served by its home MSC, i.e., the MSCthat contains the HLR for that MS, the base VLR is attached to the HLRin such a way that common data is stored only once for the tworegisters; the VLR and HLR are then stored in the same module.

When the mobile station is either in the power-off state or in thepower-on state but not in any active call state, only a base version ofthe VLR is maintained for that mobile station in the VLR WSM. When acall is originated by a mobile station or a call is received for thatmobile station, a separate dynamic version of part of the VLR is storedand maintained in the WSM that controls the mobile calls. This copy ofthe VLR is linked to the terminal process in that WSM that controls themobile station end of the call. If the mobile station moves and the callis handed over to a different switching module, then the dynamic copy ofthe VLR is transferred to the new WSM serving the mobile station forthat call and is linked to a terminal process for serving that call inthat WSM. Note that the data in the base VLR that is not relevant to theMS locations is changed only by administrative actions or such customerprogramming actions as the specification of a call forwarding number andare not copied into the dynamic VLR. When necessary, the systemadministrator modifies the HLR which in turn updates the base VLR; theadministrator has "read only" access to the base VLR for troubleshooting purposes.

The location of the mobile station is not updated in either the dynamicor the base VLR during a call, and is updated in the base VLR only aspart of a location update procedure. Location update procedures arecarried out when the mobile station is idle with power on, and movesfrom one location area to another. A location area is the area that ispaged when a call terminating to an MS is received.

All incoming calls first check the HLR. This is because the HLR is fixedand the location of the HLR record is tied to the called number(directory number) of a mobile station. The HLR has stored within it theinformation necessary to find the base VLR; this information includes anidentification of the mobile switching center that contains the baseVLR. For this detailed description, this MSC is the same as the MSC ofthe HLR, and the HLR and VLR are stored as one block so that if eitheris located the other is also located. All administrative changes of dataassociated with a mobile station are entered first into the HLR whichthen sends messages for entering the corresponding change in the baseVLR. Customer initiated changes such as the prescription of a differentcall forwarding number are forwarded initially to the base VLR whichdoes not initially make any change in its record but forwards therequest to the HLR which makes the necessary change and generates amessage for updating the base VLR. The HLR is accessible via the mobilestation directory number or the International Mobile SubscriberIdentification (IMSI). The VLR is accessible via the IMSI or the TMSI;the HLR can also access the VLR by a special ISDN address. ISDNaddresses are maintained for VLRs, HLRs, MSCs, and EIRs according to theGSM specification.

The VLR is attached to the HLR so that common data need only be storedonce. This arrangement is satisfactory as long as the mobile station isin the region served by the MSC; consideration of the storage of the VLRwhen the mobile station leaves that region is beyond the scope of thisdescription.

The combined HLR and VLR is stored in the wireless switching modules ofthe MSC. Each switching module stores records for a range of mobiledirectory numbers and each module has a range translation to select amodule based on the directory number. Since the HLR/VLR must also beaccessible via the IMSI, a table is stored in each protocol handler ofthe WGSM to identify the module that has stored the VLR/HLR for eachIMSI served by the MSC. No translation is required for access via theTMSI since that contains a subfield for identifying the VLR/HLR modules.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the physical signaling pathsbetween base stations and wireless switching modules. The base stations502 are connected through permanent virtual circuits which physicallypass through a WSM 504 serving the base station and through thecommunications module 506 to a protocol handler in the WGSM 508. Theprotocol handler receives messages in the SS7 protocol used tocommunicate with the base station and transmits the message to thecorrect WSM; the digital facility interface connected to the BSStransmits the messages to a protocol handler of the WGSM which isconnected by a switchable physical nailed up data channel to thedestination WSM, where it terminates on a protocol handler which isconnected to the switching module processor of the WSM. Advantageously,the WGSM terminates a standard protocol and allows any WSM to controlany calls from the base stations that have trunks to the WSM, since theprocessor of the switching module (SMP) for controlling the call neednot be the SMP for controlling a specific connection between a BSS trunkand a channel to a CM or to another output of the WSM.

FIG. 6 shows the logical signaling system. The base station system 602communicates with the WGSM 604 which then delivers its message via thecommunications module 506 to the appropriate WSM 610.

As shown in FIG. 7, the VLR data for a particular mobile switchingcenter is spread out over the WSMs 702, . . . , 704 in that center. Inthw particular example, when WSM 702 needs VLR information from WSM 704,it requests the information via the call processing inter-module datalinks switched through the message switch of the communications modulesof the 5ESS switch.

FIG. 8 illustrates the modules involved in a mobile-to-land call. Thebase station system 802 nearest the mobile is connected by a voice pathto a wireless switching module (WSM) 804 which is connectable throughthe communication module (CM) to another switching module for connectionvia the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 808 to the calledcustomer. The PSTN global switching module (GSM) 810 is used forcontrolling SS7 signaling to the public switched telephone network. TheWSM 812 that contains the base VLR data is connected via virtual datalinks to the WSM 804 controlling the mobile station leg of the call. TheSM 806 and WSM 804 are connected by a virtual data link in order tocoordinate the activities of the terminal process handling the call ineach of these modules. The WGSM 814 communicates all data to and fromthe BSS and transmits it as necessary to either the WSM 804 or theVLR-WSM 812.

Consistent with the principles of operation of the 5ESS switch forland-based calls, the administrative module 508 (FIG. 5) is used forselecting outgoing PSTN trunks on mobile originated calls and forselecting time slots for voice paths between switching modules. Inaddition, the administrative module is used for selecting trunk betweenthe mobile switching center and a base station controller. The basestation controller selects a path between the incoming trunk to the basestation controller and the base transceiver station. As previouslyindicated, this path may be a land-based trunk. The trunks between theBSSs and the mobile switching center are one way outgoing from themobile switching center. This makes the finding of an idle trunk fromthe centralized administrative module efficient and allows the trunks tobe fully utilized: whether the call is originated by a mobile station oris terminated to a mobile station, the trunk will be hunted for andallocated by the administrative module which is a part of the mobileswitching center.

FIGS. 9-13 illustrate the messages required in processing amobile-to-land call and shows the source and destination of eachmessage. The call is initiated by a control channel request message 902(FIG. 9) from the MS to the BSS to request the assignment of a dedicatedcontrol channel for further signaling from the MS. The BSS responds witha control channel assignment message 904 to allow the MS to access theproper control channel. The MS then transmits a service request message906 to the BSS which passes this service request message 908 to theWGSM. The WGSM transmits a process access request message 910 to the WSMthat contains the VLR information. The WGSM has the data for determiningwhich WSM contains the VLR information for this mobile station. Thisdata is used when the TMSI is not available. If the TMSI is available,it has the VLR-WSM ID encoded in it for easy identification of theVLR-WSM. The message from the WGSM to the VLR-WSM is for processing theservice request and for creating the connection data in the VLR-WSM forthe request. The VLR-WSM enters a tuple in the connection data block forthe process that handles the request. The data includes theidentification of the connection transaction using the connection. Anauthentication process, if needed, is initiated by the VLR-WSM, whichtransmits a message 1002 (FIG. 10) to the mobile station (the message isactually transmitted via the WGSM, the WSM connected to the BSS, and theBSS) to request authentication algorithm calculation. The mobile stationresponds to the VLR-WSM with a message 1004 containing the result of theauthentication algorithm calculation.

Meanwhile, the VLR-WSM transmits a message 1006 to the administrativemodule (AM) requesting the assignment of a BSS trunk for the call andthe AM transmits a message 1008 to the WSM connected to that trunk forcreating a wireless originating terminal process in that WSM forhandling the call. The WSM then returns a message 1010 to the VLR-WSMfor notifying the VLR-WSM which trunk WSM (i.e., WSM connected to thetrunk to the BSS serving the call) and BSS trunk has been assigned tothe call. As will be seen below, the VLR-WSM is required for controllingthe ciphering information for the call.

If ciphering is used, the VLR-WSM transfers (message 1102, FIG. 11) tothe WSM for handling the call, a copy of the call processing relatedinformation, relating to the mobile station from the VLR record to thecall controlling WSM. If ciphering is used, the VLR-WSM transfers thecipher command to the BSS via the WGSM (messages 1104 and 1106). The BSStransmits a cipher mode command (message 1108) to the mobile station.The mobile station then sets up the cipher mode and transmits back tothe BSS, a cipher mode completed message 1110. The BSS sends a messageto the VLR-WSM that the cipher process has been completed 1112. At thistime, both the BSS and the mobile station are in a corresponding ciphermode. The details of the encipherment are specified in the GSM standard.

The mobile station then sends a setup request message (1114 and 1116)via the WGSM to the call controlling WSM (i.e., the WSM that containsthe terminal process for the mobile station). The WGSM had previouslybeen informed of the identity of the WSM in message 1104. The WGSMchecks to ensure that no failures have been encountered up to this timebefore call setup request. If any failures have occurred, the failuresare reported to the WSM. The WSM then transmits a message 1118 to themobile station indicating that the call is proceeding.

Next, if the equipment validation function is needed, the VLR-WSM incooperation with the call controlling WSM and the mobile stationperforms that function. (Equipment validation is optional in GSMaccording to the wishes of the telecommunications operator.) The VLR-WSMrequests (message 1202) the mobile station to furnish its InternationalMobile Equipment Identification (IMEI). The mobile station responds withits IMEI (message 1204) to the VLR-WSM which checks to insure that themobile station is authorized to use the network. The VLR-WSM sends theresult of its check (message 1206) to the call controlling WSM.Meanwhile the trunk WSM notifies the BSS of the identity of thepreviously assigned BSS trunk (message 1208). The WSM also requests thatthe BSS pick a radio channel for the voice (or data) communication withthe mobile station. This radio channel will then be associated with theassigned BSS trunk for the length of the call or until the call ishanded over to another BSS or terminated. The BSS assigns the radiochannel and notifies the mobile station of the assignment (message1210). The mobile station responds (message 1212) when it has receivedthis assignment and has tuned its radio to that channel. The BSS thenreports back to the WSM that the radio channel assignment process andthe radio to trunk connection have been completed (message 1214). TheWSM requests (message 1216) the administrative module to hunt for atrunk to the public switched telephone network for completing the landpart of the call and the administrative module assigns this trunk andrequests the switching module connected to that trunk to create aterminal process for the call (message 1218). The switching module thentransmits a message 1220 to the WSM that the network connection isproceeding and transmits a message 1222 to the PSTN GSM which transmitsmessage 1224 to the public switched telephone network to set up thecall. (This is a TUP or ISUP message depending on the type of trunksignaling used to access the next switching system of the PSTN.)

The public switched telephone network then responds to the SM with amessage 1302 (FIG. 13) indicating that the called customer is beingalerted and the SM transmits a message 1304 to the WSM which sends amessage 1306 to the mobile station to connect alerting tone. (This issupplied locally within the mobile station.)

Sometime later, the public switched telephone network sends message 1308to the SM that the called customer has answered. The SM sends a message1310 to the call control WSM to indicate that an end-to-end talking pathhas been established. The call control WSM so informs the mobile station(message 1312). The mobile station responds with an acknowledgment(message 1314) and the call is now active.

Next, the disconnect process will be discussed (FIG. 14). It will beassumed that the mobile disconnects first. The mobile sends a disconnectmessage 1402 to the WSM whose terminal process is controlling the mobileend of the call and the WSM transmits a release message 1404 to themobile and a network release request 1405 to the SM connected to thepublic switched telephone network. The mobile then transmits a releasecomplete message 1406 to the WSM. The SM releases the call and transmitsa network release message 1410 to the public switched telephone network.The SM also transmits a message 1412 to the administrative module torelease the trunk to the PSTN and the WSM sends messages 1414 toadministrative module for releasing the BSS trunk and 1416 for making abilling record of the call if necessary. (Several billing records aresent in one message so that not every call generates a billing messagefrom an SM to the AM.) The WSM also sends a release message 1418 to theVLR-WSM to update the status of the mobile station of the call. TheVLR-WSM sends a clear command 1420 to the WGSM for clearing theconnection information for messages if the call is the last transactionfor the mobile station. (If other transactions, such as the delivery ofa message waiting signal message, are required, the connection is keptup; the VLR remains involved in call control, but not the WSM attachedto the BSS for controlling the call.) The WGSM sends a clear command tothe BSS to release the radio channel and receives an acknowledgment 1424from the BSS that the radio channel has been released. The BSS sends aclear command 1426 to the mobile station to release the transmittingchannel. The WGSM then sends a clear complete message 1428 to theVLR-WSM to confirm that the mobile station is now released.

The handover procedure will now be described. Since a mobile station maytravel during the course of a call, it could easily get outside theeffective range of the base transceiver stations of one BSS and into theeffective range of another. Under these circumstances, it is importantthat the mobile station be returned to a frequency of a transceiver ofthe second BSS and that the call be continued via that transceiver. Theprocess will first be described in terms of the connections, then interms of the message exchanges.

FIGS. 15-18 illustrate the process of a handover to a base transceiverstation in another BSS served by the same MSC. The request is originallymade from the BSS 1502 serving the call in response to a message fromthe mobile station 1504 reporting the signal strengths of the servingbase transceiver station and nearby candidate base transceiver stations.At this time the call is served from BSS 1502 and wireless switchingmodule 1506. The wireless switch module 1506 selects a new basetransceiver station which is, in this example, on a new BSS 1510. Theadministrative module selects a trunk 1512 (FIG. 16) between wirelessswitching module 1512 and BSS 1510. The administrative module alsoselects a network time slot 1532 between the switching module 1530 (thepivot module) connected to the land-based station via the publicswitched telephone network 1540 and the wireless switching module 1520.BSS 1502 then sends a message to the mobile station to retune to thetransceiver system of BSS 1510. At the completion of retune (FIG. 17),the connection through the time slot interchange in the pivot module isswitched to the connection 1532 to wireless switch module 1520. At thispoint, the land-based station is connected through the public switchedtelephone network 1540, through pivot switch module 1530, and throughWSM 1520 and BSS 1510 to the mobile station 1504. Finally, the oldresources, namely the connection 1542 between the pivot module 1530 andWSM 1506 as well as the connection between WSM 1506 and BSS 1502 arereleased as are the radio resources for the call in BSS 1502 (FIG. 18).

The handover process will now be described (FIGS. 19-21) in terms of theappropriate message exchanges. According to the standards discussedpreviously, a mobile station performs the task of measuring the strengthof signals received from different BSSs in its vicinity. The mobilestation periodically sends the measurements message 1902 (FIG. 19) tothe base station currently serving that station. If the BSS detects thatthe signal from the BSS currently serving that mobile station is belowthe threshold of signal strength required for reliable communications,the BSS sends a message 1904 to the WGSM of the mobile switching centerincluding an ordered set of candidate base transceiver stations forhandling the call further. The WGSM delivers the message 1904 to the WSMcurrently handling the call (the old WSM), indicating that a handover isrequired and passing the list of candidate base transceiver stations.The old WSM after consulting the terminal process for the mobile stationto determine that handover may proceed, passes this information viamessage 1906 to the administrative module for the allocation of a trunkto the first candidate BSS. The administrative module transmits amessage 1908 to the WSM connected to the selected trunk of the BSS (thenew WSM) and the new WSM transmits a message 1910 to the switchingmodule connected to the land path (the pivot SM) to set up a second timeslot path for use with the new connection from the public switchedtelephone network to the new WSM, and to inform the pivot SM of the newWSM and new terminal process identity. The new WSM sends a message 1912to the old WSM indicating that the new path setup is complete and theold WSM transfers the copy (message 1914) of the VLR information whichit has stored associated with the terminal process for this call to thenew WSM. The new WSM then sends a handover request message 1916 to thenew BSS for assigning a channel in the new BSS, and the new BSS returnsan acknowledgment 1918. The handover request acknowledgment includes thefrequency and channel which the new BSS will use to communicate with themobile station.

The new WSM sends to the old WSM a handover request acknowledgment 2002(FIG. 20) which includes the identification of the new frequency andchannel to which the mobile station is to be tuned. The old WSMtransfers that call's specific data to the new WSM via message 2004 anddefers processing of all messages to and from the MS that are being sentto the old WSM. Such messages will subsequently be forwarded to the newWSM. The new WSM returns a message 2006 indicating that the call'sspecific data transfer has been completed, and the old WSM transmitsmessage 2008 to the VLR-WSM, indicating that the actual channelswitching is about to start and requesting the VLR-WSM to defer theprocessing of new input signals. (Examples of new input signals whoseprocessing is deferred during handover are short message deliveryrequests, e.g. a request to deliver a "turn on voice message waitinglamp" short message, or new calls to the mobile station.) The old WSMthen transmits a handover command 2010 to the old BSS, which forwardsthat handover command 2012 to the mobile station. In response to thishandover command, the mobile station tunes to the new assigned frequencyand channel for communicating with the new BSS. The mobile station thentransmits a handover access message 2014 to the new BSS which transmitsa message ("use physical channel" message 2016) requesting the mobilestation to establish frame synchronization with the base stationphysical channel. The mobile station transmits a handover detect message2018, indicating that a physical layer connection has been establishedto the new BSS, and that the mobile station has retuned. The new BSStransmits a message 2020 to the new WSM that the handover has beendetected, which, in response to that message, requests the pivot SM toswitch to the new path (message 2022). The pivot SM switches to the newpath and transmits an acknowledge message 2024 to the new WSM.

After the layer 3 protocol is established, the mobile station sends ahandover completion in message 2100 (FIG. 21) to the new BSS whichforwards the message 2102 to the new WSM. The new WSM then transmits tothe old WSM a message 2102 (FIG. 21) that the handover has beencompleted and the old WSM transmits a message 2104 to the VLR-WSM thatthe handover has been completed; this message includes the identity ofthe new WSM. The old WSM transmits to the new WSM any queued messages2106 for this mobile station and the new WSM acknowledges the end ofthis message transfer (message 2108). The old WSM transmits a message2110 to inform the pivot SM to release the old path. The old WSM alsotransmits a message 2112 to the administrative module to release the oldtime slot. In the meantime, the VLR-WSM, in response to the receipt ofthe handover end message 2104, transmits message 2114 to the old BSS torelease the old radio channel, and the old BSS releases this channel andtransmits an acknowledgment 2116 to the VLR-WSM.

In the transitional stages, the new WSM is connected to the pivot SM butthe path is not continued through the time slot interchanger of that SMfor connection to the far party. This connection is made after themobile station has tuned to the radio frequency of the new BSS, and ismade at the same time as the old time-slot interchange connection forconnecting the current WSM to the public switched telephone network, isdropped. Thus, only one connection is made through the SM connected tothe far party and that connection is made through the time-slotinterchange of that switching module. This permits a very rapidtransition from one connection to another, since all other connectionsare made before the time-slot interchange connection is switched.

As long as a mobile switching center continues to serve a particularmobile station, the VLR for that mobile station is maintained in thatmobile switching center and is retained in the same switching module ofthat mobile switching center even as the mobile moves to different areasserved by that switching center. (The procedures for handing over amobile station from one mobile switching center to another are beyondthe scope of this Detailed Description.) Since the switching modulewhich contains the call data for serving a call for a particular mobilestation, retains the bulk of the information from the VLR, and furtherretains the identity of the switching module that contains the base copyof the VLR, there is no need to move that base copy even when a mobilemoves and is subsequently served by a different wireless switchingmodule.

A land-to-mobile call will now be described. An incoming call message2202 (FIG. 22) is received from the public switched telephone network atthe mobile switching center. (Note that the land-to-mobile call couldalso originate in the mobile switching center.) For the case of SS7signaling on the incoming side, the mobile switching center sends anaddress complete message 2204 to the public switched telephone network.The MSC which received the incoming call is the MSC that, on the basisof the telephone number, is the "home" for this mobile station. (Theprocedure for handling calls with base HLR information in another MSC isbeyond the scope of this Detailed Description.) This MSC contains thebase HLR information for the mobile unit.

The MSC consults the HLR for that mobile unit in the appropriatewireless switching module (action 2206), and obtains information as towhich MSC is currently serving the mobile unit (action 2208). If themobile unit is currently roaming and outside the range of the home MSC,the MSC reroutes the call to the MSC that serves the mobile unit. Inthis example, the mobile station is controlled by the home MSC. If themobile station has requested that calls be forwarded to another number,this will also be reported to the MSC for further processing, either bythe MSC if the call forwarding number is served by the home MSC, or forfurther processing by another MSC or the public switched telephonenetwork, if the call forwarded number is not served by the home MSC.

In this case, assume that the mobile station has not requested callforwarding and is being served by the home MSC. The MSC determines theWSM which contains the VLR of the mobile station, which VLR isintegrated in the MSC for this embodiment. The MSC queries that VLR(action 2210). The VLR determines the most recent location area of themobile station, in order to have the mobile station paged by the BSSs inthe most recent location area. The VLR responds with the identity of thelocation area for performing the page (action 2212).

The MSC then sends a message 2302 (FIG. 23) to the BSSs serving thelocation area requesting the page. The BSSs send out paging signals(action 2304) and the mobile station responds to this request (action2306) via one of the BSS, with a request to assign a control channel tothis mobile station. That BSS transmits to the mobile station a channelassignment 2308 for the dedicated control channel to be used. The mobilestation tunes to that control channel and delivers its page response2310 over that control channel.

Under the principles of the GSM standard for mobile communications, amobile unit is tuned to a single paging channel. If the mobile unit isturned on, it tunes to the paging channel of the base transceiverstation with the strongest signal. This is done by taking signalstrength measurements of the broadcast channels of several nearby basetransceiver stations and selecting the system with the strongest signal.The mobile station then tunes to the common control channel, pagingsubchannel of that system. If a mobile unit has moved across locationarea boundaries while the mobile station is powered on but not in theconnected state, then the mobile station will send a location updatemessage to the MSC which is used to update the VLR for that mobilestation. The mobile station recognizes this transition because itsinternal record of a location area differs from the location area signalreceived from the base transceiver station via the broadcast controlchannel.

When a mobile is originally paged, it is paged by all the transceiverstations in the location area where the MS has last registered. Thispaging message is transmitted from the protocol handlers of the wirelessglobal switching module to all the appropriate base station controllers.Within the WGSM, a paging request message received from a switchingmodule contains the location area identifier (LAI). This is translatedto derive a series of point codes for the BSSs that contain BaseTransceiver Stations which must broadcast the page. The PH that receivedthe paging request message from the switching module broadcasts amessage to the WGSM protocol handlers that also includes the identity ofthe mobile (the IMSI or TMSI as discussed hereinafter with respect tothe authentication procedure), the point codes and a single logicalroute, effectively appended to each point code. The logical route is afour bit quantity used to spread the signaling traffic over thedifferent signaling links to the BSSs. Each protocol handler examinesthe point codes and the logical route to see if it is involved (i.e.,serves a signaling link that is used) in transmitting paging requestmessages. Each involved protocol handler transmits a paging requestmessage to each of these BSS controllers for which that protocol handleris the designated source of paging messages for the point code andlogical route; this paging request message includes a list of the BTSsin the LAI so that a BSS that includes portions of two or more LAIs cantransmit a paging request only to the base transceiver stations servingthat LAI. In an alternative version, not covered by the present GSMspecification, the LAI is sent and the BSS translates to find theappropriate base transceiver station for paging.

An alternate approach is to make a translation within the protocolhandler that receives the paging request message from the switchingmodule to determine which protocol handlers of the WGSM should receive amulticast paging message that includes the point codes of the BSSs andthe logical route for those BSSs involved in the paging, plus a list ofbase transceiver stations. Each of the determined recipients of thismulticast message then translates the point codes and logical route tosee if it is to transmit a paging message; if so it transmits theappropriate paging message. In this approach, the initial translation todetermine which protocol handlers may be involved in the process oftransmitting paging request messages to base station controllers isperformed in the single protocol handler that initially receives thepaging request message. A disadvantage of this approach is that each ofthe protocol handlers that makes the initial translation needs a tablefor storing the translation information. The simpler translation of thepreferred embodiment is only from the LAI to point codes, a relativelystatic translation. The updating of protocol handlers to respond totrouble conditions only affects the tables of protocol handlers actuallytransmitting data to the BSSs.

The page response 2310 received by one of the BSSs is returned (message2312) to the mobile switching center, specifically, the WGSM. The WGSMthen transmits a message 2314 to the wireless switching module whichcontains the VLR information for this mobile station to initiate theauthentication process if necessary. Previously, the VLR has receivedfrom the authentication via the HLR five sets of data used forauthenticating the identity of the mobile station and for use as anencryption key. If the VLR has only one set left, then it obtains anadditional set via the HLR from the authentication center, usingmessages 2402, 2404, 2406 and 2408 (FIG. 24). The VLR-WSM communicatesto the mobile station an authentication request 2410 for it to performalgorithm calculation. The mobile station then communicates the result(message 2412) of the calculation to the VLR-WSM which compares theresult with the authentication data it stores.

FIG. 29 illustrates the process of obtaining authentication numbers andencryption numbers in accordance with the principles of applicants'invention. The visitor location number recognizes that it has only oneset of authentication/encryption data (action block 2901). The VLRaccesses the home location register (HLR) to obtain additionalauthentication/encrytion data (action block 2903). In this embodiment,if the VLR and HLR reside in the same MSC, the VLR control programaccesses the HLR by transferring control to the HLR control program. TheHLR which stores an authentication/encryption parameter (the HLR key)transmits this parameter to a protocol handler (action block 2905). Theprotocol handler generates five random numbers and using these fiverandom numbers and the HLR key, generates five sets of encryptionkeys/authentication numbers from the random numbers and the HLR key(action block 2907). The protocol handler then transmits the five setsto the HLR (action block 2909) and the HLR transmits the five sets tothe VLR (action block 2911). (In the context of this embodiment, if theHLR and the VLR are contained in a single block, then the VLR access issimply the process of reading another part of the combined block and theHLR and VLR processors are the same. Similarly, it is not necessary forthe HLR to ransmit the five sets to the VLR because the storage iscombined.)

The VLR then transmits an encipher command (message 2502, FIG. 25), ifnecessary, to the BSS which transmits, over the radio channel, a ciphermode command 2504 requesting the mobile station to enter the ciphermode. The mobile station responds with a cipher mode complete message2506 to the BSS and the BSS reports to the switching module containingthe VLR that the encipher process has been completed (message 2508). Theoriginal encipher command sent from the VLR to the BSS includes the keyfor use in enciphering the signals transmitted between the mobilestation and the BSS. The mobile station had previously receivedinformation for deriving the key during the authentication process.

If the telecommunications operator has specified that an equipmentidentity check is required, the mobile switching center then requests(message 2602, FIG. 26) from the mobile station its international mobileequipment identification (IMEI). The mobile station responds with thatinformation (message 2604) and this information is checked (action 2606)in the equipment identification register (EIR) data base also stored inthe MSC for that mobile. The check result is returned (action 2608) fromthe EIR. The equipment validation is performed to insure that the mobileunit is authorized to make calls. Calls are only completed if both theVLR and the EIR data indicate that the mobile is authorized to makeand/or receive calls.

Thereafter, the mobile switching center sets up a call connection to themobile station. It transmits a message 2702 (FIG. 27) including atransaction identification for all messages generated by the mobilestation, respecting this call. The mobile station responds with a callconfirm message 2704. The mobile switching center then requests (message2706) the base station to assign a traffic (i.e., voice or customerdata) channel to this call. The BSS selects the radio frequency andchannel and informs the mobile station (message 2708) of the same sothat the mobile station can tune to this frequency and channel. Themobile station does so, reports (message 2710) that the channelassignment has been completed, which permits the BSS to report (message2712) to the mobile switching center that the traffic channel has beenassigned.

The mobile station responds to the previously received traffic channelassignment request by locally generating an alerting signal to thesubscriber. An "alert" message 2802 (FIG. 28) is sent from the mobilestation to the MSC to inform the MSC that mobile station user is beingalerted. The mobile switching center transmits an audible tone to thecaller (action 2804). When the called customer at the mobile stationgoes offhook, i.e., answers the call, the mobile station sends aconnection indication 2806 to the mobile switching center, whichforwards that connection indication to the far party (action 2808) andtransmits a connection acknowledge message to the mobile station 2810.

In order to detect the fraudulent condition wherein two or more mobilestations have the same identity, a situation which should not occur andwill occur only as a result of an attempt to fraudulently causetelecommunications charges to be incurred by the primary owner of thatidentification, the following steps are taken.

Each of a class of state transitions is examined to see if theparticular state transition is likely, in view of prior state of themobile station. Whenever a mobile station changes state to one of thespecified states, the previous one of the specified states for thatmobile station is examined and if the transition is unlikely, a recordis made for the mobile telecommunications network administration. Theserecords are an indication of possible fraud. The state transitions towhich are examined are the following: attached mobile station, detachedmobile station, page response, location update, service request, andcancel location (a message from an HLR to a VLR to indicate that themobile has moved outside the area served by the MSC, and therefore, theVLR). Unlikely events include the reception of an attach, when themobile station is already attached, a detach when the mobile station isalready detached, the receipt of multiple page responses for a singlepage request of one mobile, the receipt of a location update whileanother update procedure or connection procedure is in progress; thereceipt of a service request when a mobile station is detached, in alocation update procedure, or during an attach or detach procedure; or achange location message received when a call is in progress.

Whenever a state change is one that is unlikely to occur, a peg count ismade of the state change. The frequency of the unusual occurrences isdisplayed at a mobile switching control center or the Operation andMaintenance Center (OMC) so that a fraudulent use of an identificationcan be detected. If the count exceeds a threshold, a special message isdisplayed or printed.

The authentication process will now be described. The authenticationprocess is initiated as a result of a service request by the mobilestation or following a successful page of a mobile station, but isperformed primarily under the control of the VLR. According to thewishes of the telecommunications operator, this authentication processmay be performed every time a mobile station originates or a call isterminated to a mobile station. In addition, if the administration ofthe mobile switching system so desires, the authentication may takeplace whenever a location is updated for a mobile station that is in thepower-on and idle state. In addition, authentication may be performedwhen a mobile station registers by turning on its power.

In the case of a request for service originated by a mobile station, themobile station sends a message to the mobile switching center recordingone of the requests discussed above. This message includes the IMSI(International Mobile Subscriber Identification) or a TMSI (TemporaryMobile Subscriber Identification). The choice of an IMSI or a TMSI asthe primary identification mechanism is made by the system operator. TheIMSI is a permanent number which is assigned to every mobile station.The TMSI is assigned to a mobile station only after an authentication,and has only local significance. If this is the first authenticationrequest or an authentication request which for some reason has failedand the system administration is using TMSI identification, then thebackup IMSI is used for the purpose of authenticating the customer andassigning a new TMSI. The source of data used in authentication is anauthentication center which in the present system is present in eachmobile switching module of the MSC. This authentication center (AUC)does not store any data for each customer. The purpose of theauthentication center is to generate random numbers which are used inconjunction with data in the HLR to generate authentication data.Initially, at the time when a customer subscribes for service, thatcustomer is assigned an initial key K_(c). This key and a random number(RAND) supplied from the authentication center are acted upon by a firstalgorithm (A3) to generate a secondary number, an authentication number,referred to as Signed Response (SRES), a result of manipulating therandom number using the A3 algorithm. In addition, the random number andK_(i) are acted upon by a second algorithm (A8) to generate anencryption key K_(c). Values of RAND, SRES and K_(c) are requested fromHLR as needed by the VLR. In the preferred embodiment of the invention,five sets of RAND/SRES/K_(c) are generated and stored in the VLR eachtime a set of calculations is made.

When the authentication is needed, the MSC sends the random number tothe MS. The MS retrieves K_(i) from its initialization memory (which maybe initialized at the time of the purchase of the mobile station) andcalculates SRES and K_(c) from the random number and the K_(i) usingalgorithms A3 and A8. It then stores the K_(c) in the main station andsends the SRES result to the mobile switching center. The mobileswitching center verifies that the SRES value calculated by the mobilestation matches the SRES value that has been stored in the VLR and waspreviously calculated. If the values match, this is a successfulauthentication and it is assumed that the two values of the key K_(c) asstored in the MSC/VLR and in the mobile station are identical.

Note that with this arrangement, only the random number and SRES aretransmitted over the air. The two independently generated values of theencryption key, K_(c), each generated from the random number and eachgenerated using a value of K_(i) which is also never transmitted throughthe air, are not transmitted over the air. Since a separate algorithm isused for deriving K_(c) and SRES, the fact that SRES and RAND aretransmitted over the air does not permit an interloper to discoverK_(c).

In case authentication fails, if the system administration uses TMSI,then the IMSI is sent as a backup in case the TMSI for one reason oranother became garbled. If another authentication using the IMSI isattempted and if that authentication is successful, a new TMSI is sentand actions which are based on a successful authentication can beperformed. If the system administration uses an IMSI and authenticationfails or if authentication fails following an IMSI backup of a TMSI,then all service except emergency service is normally denied to thatmobile station.

Note that both the TMSI and the IMSI may be sent over the airwaveswithout compromising security since these values are useless if theK_(i) corresponding to that IMSI is not available to a potentialinterloper.

Some administrations may choose not to perform an authentication onevery call. If this is the case and an IMSI or TMSI has beenintercepted, then a fraudulent call may be made, or a call may befraudulently received. However, if this is a call on whichauthentication is made in an administration which chooses toauthenticate some percentage of its calls, then authentication will failand the failure of authentication is a warning to the administrationthat the particular IMSI or TMSI has been compromised.

Only a single pair of algorithms is normally used at any one time. It ispossible for a system administration to vary between pairs of suchalgorithms but there are no plans at this time to assign two differentmobiles different algorithm pairs.

It is to be understood that the above description is only of onepreferred embodiment of the invention. Numerous other arrangements maybe devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope ofthe invention. The invention is thus limited only as defined in theaccompanying claims.

    ______________________________________                                        APPENDIX A                                                                    ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS                                                    ______________________________________                                        AUC      Authentication Center                                                AM       Administrative Module                                                BSC      Base Station Controller                                              BSS      Base Station System                                                  BSSAP    Base Station System Application Part                                 BSSOMAP  BSS Operation Maintenance and Administration                                  Part                                                                 BSSMAP   Base Station System Management Application Part                      BTS      Base Transceiver Station                                             CM       Communications Module                                                DFI      Direct Facility Interface                                            DTAP     Direct Transfer Application Part                                     EIR      Equipment Identity Register                                          GSM      Global Systems for Mobile Communications                             ISDN     Integrated Services Digital Network                                  ISO      International Standards Organization                                 HLR      Home Location Register                                               IMEI     International Mobile Equipment Identification                        IMSI     International Mobile Subscriber Identification                       ISUP     ISDN User Part                                                       LAI      Location Area Identifier                                             OMC      Operations and Maintenance Center                                    MAP      Mobile Application Part                                              MS       Mobile Station (personal communication station)                      MSC      Mobile Switching Center                                              MTP      Message Transport Part                                               PH       Protocol Handler                                                     PSTN     Public Switched Telephone Network                                    PSTN GSM PSTN Global Switch Module                                            PSU      Packet Switching Unit                                                RAND     Random Number                                                        SCCP     Signaling Connection Control Part                                    SIM      Subscriber Identity Module                                           SM       Switching Module                                                     SMG      Special Mobile Group                                                 SMP      Switching Module Processor                                           SRES     Signed Response                                                      SS7      Signaling System 7                                                   TC       Transaction Capabilities                                             TCAP     Transaction Capabilities Application Part                            TMSI     Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identification                           TSIU     Time Slot Interchange Unit                                           TUP      Telephone User Part                                                  WGSM     Wireless Global Switching Module                                     WSM      Wireless Switch Module                                               VLR      Visitor Location Register                                            ______________________________________                                    

We claim:
 1. A method of obtaining authentication parameters for amobile station on a mobile telecommunications call served by a firstmobile switching center (MSC) comprising the steps of:determining thatVisitor Location Register (VLR) data stored in said first MSC for saidmobile station has fewer than a predetermined parameter, n, ofauthentication parameter sets available for said mobile station, nhaving a value of at least 2; responsive to said determining, requestinga second MSC which stores HLR data of said mobile station to provide aplurality of sets of authentication parameters for said mobile station;responsive to receiving the request for authentication parameter sets,accessing a first processor means of said second MSC for storing HomeLocation Register (HLR) data of said mobile station, said HLR datacomprising an authentication key of said mobile station; from said firstprocessor means, using said authentication key, accessing a secondprocessor means of said second MSC for obtaining authenticationparameters; obtaining a plurality of sets of authentication parametersfrom said second processor means; and transmitting said plurality ofsets of authentication parameters to said first MSC for storing saidsets in said VLR data for said mobile station.
 2. The method of claim 1wherein said determining comprises determining that said VLR data hasfewer than 2 authentication parameter sets available for said mobilestation.
 3. In a mobile telecommunication network, apparatus forderiving authentication parameters for a mobile telecommunications callcomprising:processor means of a first mobile switching center (MSC) fordetermining that visitor location register (VLR) data for a mobilestation comprises fewer than n sets of authentication parameters, nbeing an integer having a value of at least 2; said processor means,responsive to said determining, for initiating transmission of a requestmessage to a second MSC, said second MSC for storing Home LocationRegister (HLR) data for said mobile station; first processor means ofsaid second MSC, responsive to receipt of said message, for accessingHLR data for said mobile station to obtain authentication key data, andsecond processor means of said second MSC, responsive to receipt of saidauthentication key data from said first processor means, for calculatinga plurality of sets of authentication parameters for said mobilestation.